Device for extracting kernels from green corn



May 3%, 1950 w. A. ROBINSON DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING KERNELS FRQM GREEN CORN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1946 y 1950 w. A. ROBINSON 2,509,452

DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING KERNELS FROM GREEN CORN Filed Oct. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 30,1950

DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING KERNELS FROM GREEN CORN Ward A. Robinson, Upton, Mass. Application October 11, 1946, Serial No. 702,779

1 Claim;

The present invention relates to culinary utensils, and more particularly to a utensil for extracting the palatable kernels from the relatively unpalatable hulls of green corn, which 'individual hulls are left attached to the corn cob.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide such a, utensil which will haveno relatively moving elements therein, and which at the same time will efiiciently remove the edible kernels from the hulls while leaving the individual hulls on the cob.

A further objective of thepresent invention is to provide such a utensil which will be so constructed that it may be readily cleaned thereby to provide a most sanitary type of kitchen or table tool.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a utensil of the above noted type which is designed so that it will control theflow of the corn kernels and the liquid corn milk to the end that the kernels and the milk will not indiscriminately fly in all directions as the kernels are removed from the cob.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises, the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of the present utensil.

Fig. 2 represents a left side view of the utensil shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a right side view of the utensil shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged front view of a pair of teeth as formed on the present unit.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in section, representing a. side view of one of the teeth disclosed in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 represents a perspective view of the present utensil.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic drawing, partly in section, and illustrating the present device as it removes the kernels from the corn hulls.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 4, the present device comprises a substantially segmental shaped tooth holder member In which has formed on the concave face ll, thereof a plurality of circumferentially spaced cuneated teeth l2. Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, each of the teeth I2 is formed with a pair of converging faces I3 and M which intersect with each other to form an upwardly and outwardly sloping knife edge 5. The top portion of each of the teeth I2 is formed with a face l6 which slopes upwardly from the knife edge I 5 to merge withv a land or bevel portion H which is formed about the inner periphery of the tooth holder member lll.

Spaced coaxially of the tooth holder member H1 is a substantiallysegmental shaped compressor member l8 which is secured to the member ID at the adjacent end portions thereof by means of bridge pieces l9 and 20. These bridge pieces l9 and 2B secure the members I0 and I3 rigidly together. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the compressor member i8 is formed with a pair of concentric faces 2| and 22 each of which slopes upwardly in concentric relation with the land portion formed on the member ID. The concave face 23 of the compressor member I8 is in line with the pointed portions of the teeth |2.

Projecting outwardly from the tooth holder member Ill is a handle portion 24 which merges into the bridge piece 20 as at 25 thereby to strengthen the entire unit.

In the operation of the present device, an ear of corn 26 (see Fig. 8) may be held in a vertical or near vertical position and the utensil is moved longitudinally of the ear so that the knives or teeth l2 will engage the hulls 21 of corn successively thereby to split them lengthwise of the ear. Due to the cuneal shape of each of the teeth |2 the individual corn hulls will not only be split lengthwise of the earv but they will be spread open thereby to facilitate the removal of the kernels 28 therefrom. After the knives have passed through the hulls to split and open the 1 same, the concave face 23 of the compressor member |8 will engage the hulls to the end that the kernels will be squeezed out of the hulls. As may be seen in Fig. 8, the kernels 28 are forced out of the hulls 21 and then they are guided away from the ear of corn by the spaced concentric faces I1 and 2| of the respective members In and I8. This passageway thus formed by the faces l1 and 2| functions to direct the kernels away from the ear and at the same time it also functions to prevent the kernels and the liquid milk from the hulls from being indiscriminately thrown in all directions. The movement of the utensil in the direction of the arrow 29 is such that the outer wall portion of the face 2| will be to remove kernels from corn having most any size diameter. In employing this utensil it is merely necessary to pass the same over the corn ear several times thereby completely to remove all of the corn kernels from the hulls.

It is to be understood that the present utensil corn hulls, comprising, a, substantially segmental shaped tooth holder member, a plurality of cuneated teeth circumferentially spaced about the concave surface of said tooth holder member for splitting the corn hulls, each of said teeth having the upper portion thereof formed as a plane surface which slopes upwardly towards the inner peripheral portion of said tooth holder member, a substantially segmental shaped compressor member disposed substantially coaxially of and directly adjacent said tooth holder member for engaging the split hulls thereby to force, the kernels therefrom, said compressor mem-' ber having an inner concave hull-engaging face which is disposed substantially in line with the outer edge portions of said teeth, that face portion of said compressor member which is adis formed as a unitary device with no relatively moving element or elements which require adjustment. Furthemore, the present device is formed with no clefts in which dirt or food particles may become lodged. Therefore, the present invention presents a most sanitary kitchen or table tool as it may be readily and quickly washed and no particular care need be lavished upon it in order to clean the same. The present invention requires no adjustment between its respective elements as varying results may be efiected with the device by altering the angle at which it is held as the same is drawn lengthwise over the corn. For example, the depth to which the teeth or knives l2 penetrate the individual hulls 21 may be increased or decreased by merely canting the utensil about the longitudinal axis of the handle 24.

It is also to be understood that the present utensil is designed so that it may be cast or molded from metal or plastic material as a unitary structure thereby to maintain the fabrication cost thereof at a minimum.

I claim:

A unitary device for removing kernels from jacent said tooth member being raked backwardly in substantial concentric relation with the upp' vi'cfane surfaces of said teeth thereby to forn lrelatively narrow kernel-deflecting passageway with said tooth member, a pair of bridge pieces, each of said bridge pieces securing a respective pair of the adjacently spaced end portions of said segmental members rigidly together, and a handle element projecting from one of said bridge members so as to be disposed substantially at right angles to the common axis about which the concave surfaces of the tooth holder and compressor members are generated. WARD A. ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 287,080 Anderson Oct. 23, 1883 935,517 Johnson Sept. 28, 1909 961,825 Wells June 21, 1910 1,224,474 Lake May 1, 1917 2,326,873 Meek Aug. 17, 1943 

